Guided By the Mountains

Exploring the Efficacy of Traditional and Contemporary Governance

November 15, 2010

Acknowledgments

Mom! – Family Committee Members Marshall Foundation Diné Policy Institute

Navajo Nation Diné College

American Indian Studies U of A Political Science Dept. U of A Sociology Dept. U of A

What We’ll Cover

Some Diné PhilosophyHighlights of Diné Governance HistoryNation Building ApproachesConcepts of Diné GovernanceContemporary Role of Diné PhilosophyEmpirical Evidence For Contemporary Diné

Philosophy Salience

Diné Philosophy of Governance?

Interaction Disrupts Diné Ways of Governing

Diné International Governance?

A History of Disruption

Interacting with Colonial ActorsThe History Book Version

Treaties with Spain - FourTreaties with Mexico - TenTreaties with the U.S. – Nine

Two are Ratified By CongressAll are Broken

Breaking Treaties is Consistent with Many European Philosophies of Governance, especially Realism

U.S. Federal Indian Policy – Not Conducive to Diné Governance

Treaty Making Ignores Diné Norms of Diplomacy

Murder of Narbonna – beauty way leader

Removal Hwéldi

Ignores Diné mandate to live within Sacred Mountains

Reservation Period 1868 Treaty – Diné leaders believed they were granted

the space within the Sacred Mountains

Self Determination

In spirit, an opportunity to have Diné ways guide the people

Perhaps too much disruption has already occurredWe can’t expect 200 years of disruption to be

repaired in 35 years

Nation Building Approaches?

Level of Generality IssuesInconsistent systematic approach to researchCan lessons from Nation A be applied to

Nation B?Making sense of the plethora of research

The Future of Nation Building Research

What are the patterns of current research?CulturalPoliticalEconomic

Gaming

Current Orientations of Nation Building Research

Concepts of Diné Governance

Concept Building Method (Goertz 2006)Basic LevelSecondary LevelData/Indicator Level

Concepts of Diné Governance

Limitations on Concept BuildingPrimary and secondary documentsShareable knowledgeAn invitation for fine tuning

Concepts of Naat’1anii

Concepts of Naat’1anii

Concepts of Naat’1anii

Concepts of Naachid

Concepts of Naachid

Post 1922 Concepts

Post 1922 Concepts

Post 1922 Concepts

Post 1922 Concepts

Concept Analysis

Qualitatively – Pre-contact governance is bottom up

Expresses the philosophy of government by the people and for the people

Post contact governance is top heavyExpresses U.S. Federal interest in

Extracting resources Enriching energy corporations Preventing Navajos from making decisions about their land

management

Concept Analysis

TransparencyThe level of grass roots governing may not

otherwise be overt in descriptions of pre contact governance

The level of Federal influence may not be otherwise clear in post 1922 governance

The level of Navajo agency may not be visible without concepts (snapshots) of each change

Concept Analysis

TunableDid you agree with every aspect of each

concept?Communities can comment on the various

institutionsCommunities are in a better position to adopt

what they like as they see fitDebatably, concepts may be less open to covert

manipulation for self interest?

Concept Analysis

ReplicableOthers may create concepts for Diné or other

Native NationsReliable

Consequences of tuning are consistent Changes will resonate across all levels

ValidAre subjective decisions consistent with a given

philosophy?

Salience of Diné Philosophy Today

Fundamental Laws Adopted by NNCEach branch of Navajo Nation government

(judicial, executive, council) supports adoptingRecognition that merely recognizing

Fundamental Laws does not mean the Fundamental Laws have been understood by branches of government

More work needs to be completedCurrently, challenges to Fundamental Law exist

today

Looking Ahead

Today, Navajo Nation lacks an international agendaSuggestions:

Recognize Domestic Naat’1aniiEstablish International Naat’1aniiConsider potential for shaping norms of international

behavior Based on economic liberalism

Domestic Naat’1anii?

Do Traditional Ways Belong Here?

Why is tradition still here today?Didn’t colonial activity eliminate traditional

ways?What about traditional ways of governing?

Time may have had more impact on traditional ways of governing than overt U.S. pressure

Are the old institutions gone? Or are they dormant?

Do Traditional Ways Belong Here?

What if we could prove:1. Diné had more to do with suspending or

ending their own traditional institutions of governance

2. Observable data supports Diné agency in ending or suspending their institutions

3. Diné institutions are dormant and not lost4. Future events may open windows of

opportunity to reestablish traditional institutions

Do Traditional Ways Belong Here?

Research Design Two Theories Explain why traditional

governance is still here Peoplehood explains how institutions of Diné

governance were preserved Punctuated Equilibrium Model (PEM) explains

how the history of interaction failed to remove institutions of Diné governance

Do Traditional Ways Belong Here?

Research Design Data?

Primary and sources Oral accounts

How did traditional institutions survive?

How did colonial interaction fail to eliminate traditional institutions

Testing the Theory

Stasis A = Naat’1anii System Shock = Event or events which disrupt

Naat’1anii System or Critical Juncture Chaos period Stasis B = Business Council of 1922 Which events are “shocking” enough to

disrupt Naat’1anii System stasis?

Table 6.2 here – List

Shock Continuum

Distribution of Events

Event Frequency and Relative Shocks

Impact of Institutions – 2 by 2 table

Table 6.7 – Truth Table Here

Truncated Truth Table

Shocks of .6 or greater – 2 by 2 table

Set Theory – Set Relationship

Conclusions

Search from above - Atsa Search from the ground – Ma’ii Tso First Record of Indigenous Political Philosophy

Fill’s the blank between objective and subjective decisions

Concepts Quantitative Proof of Existence

Future Research involves more tipping points for modifications from 1922-today . . . But does it matter?

Not really lost, just dormant – do other Native Nations fit?